Two years ago, Alexis Díaz was an All-Star closer with the Cincinnati Reds.
Now, the 28-year-old right-hander is set to become a Dodgers reclamation project.
Amid a wave of early-season injuries to their bullpen and rotation, the Dodgers agreed to acquire Díaz from the Reds on Thursday, the team announced.
Díaz, who was demoted to triple-A earlier this month by the Reds, won’t be joining the Dodgers’ big-league roster right away. He will instead report to Arizona to work with the Dodgers’ pitching group there.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred injured reliever Evan Phillips (who was initially expected to only miss 15 days with a forearm injury) to the 60-day IL.
Once a rising relief star who had a 1.84 ERA as a rookie in 2022, and 37 saves and a 3.07 earned-run average as an All-Star selection in 2023, Díaz has faded over the past two seasons.
In 2024, he was 28 of 32 in save opportunities, but posted a 3.99 ERA with 31 walks in 56 1/3 innings.
This season, he lost the closer’s job while battling a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the start of the season, then was optioned to triple-A after giving up eight runs, eight hits, four homers and five walks in his first six appearances. Five of the runs, and three of the homers, came in a single outing against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 30, the day before he was sent down.
Díaz, the brother of New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, hasn’t experienced much greater success in the minors, holding a 4.61 ERA with 12 walks in 13 2/3 innings with the Reds’ Louisville affiliate.
Still, just two years removed from the early heights of his MLB career, the Dodgers were willing to take a flier on the once-promising talent, only giving up minor-league pitcher Mike Villani (a 13th-round pick in last year’s draft) in return.
